Noncontact temperature measurement is a key process metric in many industries, but there are many factors that influence accurate temperature measurement from a pyrometer. Here we look at the common influences on inaccurate temperature measurement.

In a recently announced deal that occurred last year, Forged Components Inc. (FCI) of Humble, Texas, acquired hammer-forge and heat-treatment facilities from Houston-based Forge USA. This added eight additional heat-treatment furnaces to FCI's existing furnaces located at its Humble and Navasota, Texas, forging locations. The acquisition, which also included a 16,000-pound polymer quench tank and 30,000-pound water quench tank, has added 300,000 pounds of heat-treating capacity to FCI’s Humble and Navasota sites.

The new advanced quench-and-temper facility (AQTF) heat-treatment line supplied by SMS group to TimkenSteel at its Gambrinus Steel Plant in Canton, Ohio, commenced full commercial production. Extensive testing was successfully completed in November 2017. The line is able to treat 10 tons per hour of bars and heavy-walled tubes up to 13 inches in diameter.

In any manufacturing process involving a kiln or furnace, the need for consistency is key to ensuring right-first-time components, whether this applies to processing temperatures, atmospheric content or the overall firing process.